Significant Lessons From The Seemingly Insignificant #29 Wait Tarry

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1 Significant Lessons From The Seemingly Insignificant #29 Wait Tarry Gal. 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. 1. The ministry of Jesus in Luke is the outflow of His birth and incarnation. Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, 2. The coming of the Holy Spirit is very much like the birth of Jesus. 3. It is a key event depicted early in Acts which sets the stage for what follows. 4. The ministry of Jesus through the church in Acts is the outflow of the descent of the Spirit. Acts 1:3-4 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but WAIT for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit on several occasions. Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John emphasized it would be the Father who would send the Spirit to them. John 14:16, 26 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me: Before His Ascension, Jesus gave His disciples specific instructions. Matt. 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 1

2 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but WAIT for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Do not leave Jerusalem Wait For The Promise Of The Father Tarry in Jerusalem Until You Are Endued With Power From On High Tarry: To stay; to abide; to continue; to lodge; to stay in expectation Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. The Task: Proclaim the Gospel; Be Witnesses; Begin in Jerusalem uttermost part of the earth The Means: The Power Of the Holy Spirit Command: Tarry Until You Are Endued With The Power From On High Which Is The Promise Of God The Father The world of their day was in deep sin, and Roman society was corrupt. One would think that Jesus would say, "Do not lose any time; go to work immediately. Souls are perishing all about you." But instead, Jesus said, "I want you to tarry awhile." Unless they were ready to go and endued with the power of the Holy Spirit, their work would hardly be more than "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Luke 24:51-53 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. Acts 1:13a-15 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. the number of names together were about 120, 1. Returned to Jerusalem with great joy 2. Continually in the temple, praising and blessing God 3. In one accord in prayer and supplication Tarry: To stay; to abide; to continue; to lodge; to stay in expectation 2

3 Waiting On The Lord - In God s Waiting Room The waiting room, a land where time seemingly stands still; a place where life is put on hold. In a doctor s office, it feels like hours have passed, yet a glance at your watch; it s only been 20 minutes. In the waiting room, it seems as if progress has come to a screeching halt. 4 Essential Factors in Waiting on the Lord - 4 Strands Tightly Woven Together 1. Waiting Necessitates the Passage of Time Psalm 130:5-6: I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His Word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning; Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. The Psalmist was comparing waiting expectantly on the Lord to the night guards of the city who watched the passage of time in anticipation of the coming dawn when they would be released from duty. The coming of the dawn was certain, but not without the passage of time. Waiting on the Lord always involves the passage of time just as it does when we are waiting for the news, a special TV program, for a plane to arrive, or for retirement. 2.Waiting Means Confident Expectation -HOPE WAITING and HOPING are wound together like the strands of a rope. Illustrations: (1) When you wait for an inheritance you have been promised, you expect and hope the laws of the land will work to make it available to you. When we, like the guards of the city, wait for the morning, we are waiting for more than simply time to pass. We are waiting for the sun to rise and day to break, for the light to replace the darkness, and the cold to be replaced with the warmth of the sun. Waiting involves an expectation of something special. Waiting means anticipation, expectation, and a confident hope in something that will take place. Hope has been described as creative waiting! Hope is anything but boring or complacent. Hope is filled with expectation! It anticipates! To live in hope, is to live in the power of the future without yet possessing it. 3. Waiting Involves an Expectation Based on Knowledge and Trust Without knowledge and trust, we simply won t wait at least not without a great deal of anxiety and usually not without taking matters into our own hands. Is this a sign of unbelief? Based on its past performance, we wait for the news to come on at six o clock because we believe the TV station will be operating. For many years they have continued to do so, and so we trust the staff to give the news at six o clock. We have seen the sun rise every day. It has never failed even once. We know or believe; therefore, we can count on it based on its past performance. At least 28 of the passages that deal with waiting: The Lord is the object waited for. The Lord is the confidence of the one waiting. 3

4 Note the emphasis and the object of the Psalmist s confidence in Psalm 130:5-6: I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His Word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning; Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. As the watchman waits for the sun because he knows it is reliable, the Psalmist waits for the Lord even more because he knows the Lord is more reliable than the rising of the sun. Waiting is fundamentally wrapped up with: Knowing, Trusting, and Believing in the Lord & His person (His character) and in His promises. The ability to wait on the Lord stems from being confident and focused on God s person: confidence in His wisdom, love, timing, understanding of our situation and that of the world. It means knowing and trusting in God s principles, promises, purposes, and power. In these passages, the call to wait and rest is based on God s character and His faithfulness. Psalm 52:8-9 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever, because You have done it, and in the presence of Your saints, I will wait on Your name, for it is good. Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8, A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God Truly, my soul waits in silence for God only; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, He is my defense; I shall not be greatly shaken (moved). My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my hope (expectation) is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. God has spoken once; twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God; Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each according to his work. Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Where is the Psalmist s hope? In the who and what of the Lord! 4. Waiting Involves Negatives and Positives When we think of waiting, we often face the question, What am I to do during the waiting process? It is NOT sitting around until God finally moves. Waiting is not passivity or inactivity. Waiting is not killing time! Waiting is never wasted time! When we are inactive or passive in our spiritual lives, we tend to drift in our commitment! Waiting is frequently a condition of high expectancy, infusing life with great energy, purpose, and love. Joseph was forced to wait on the Lord, but while he waited, he lived with purpose, expectation, good attitude and work ethic. Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of waiting is learning to hold the negatives and the positives in proper balance. Waiting involves a passivity and much activity negatives and positives things we should do and things we should not do. These negatives and positives in relation to waiting are closely wound together like the strands in a rope. When wound together properly, they give great strength, courage, patience, and endurance. 4

5 As to activity, waiting involves three things: (1) Things we do doing the right things. (2) Things we are not to do refraining from the wrong things. (3) Things that happen to us, in us, and for us in the process of Biblical waiting. These involve careful obedience by faith in several Biblical injunctions that are associated with the concept of waiting in Scripture. Note the positives and negatives in this passage which are woven together as part of the waiting process as one trusts confidently in the Lord. Psalm 37:1-9 Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be not envious of the workers of iniquity. For they will soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will shall bring it to pass. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, it only causes harm. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the earth. This Psalm swings back and forth between admonishing and describing the faithful followers and describing the faithless. The theological issue in Ps. 37:1-6 is the prosperity of the wicked. There are admonitions to the faithful (i.e., what to do and what not to do). 1. Fret not yourself. 2. Do not be envious. The lives of the wicked look successful and happy but they are short lived; 1. They will be cut down like the grass. 2. They will wither like the green herb. Faithful followers should: (37:3-5 has 7 imperatives) 1. Trust in the LORD. 4. Feed On His Faithfulness 7. Trust In Him. 2. Do Good 5. Delight Yourself In The Lord 3. Dwell in the Land 6. Commit Your Way To The Lord The LORD will: 1. Give the faithful follower "the desires of your heart." 2. He Will Bring It To Pass 3. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Ps. 37: More Admonitions to the Faithful a. Rest in the Lord. d. Cease From Anger. Do Not Try To Avenge Yourself b. Wait Patiently for Him. e. Forsake Wrath c. Fret Not 2. Because the fate of the faithless is sure a. His prosperity will be cut off. b. The wicked will have no place. 5

6 3. Therefore, the faithful (those who wait for God ) a. Will inherit the land b. Will delight themselves in abundant peace Positive Activity: When a young man was courting a girl, it was called waiting on the young lady. He was actively pursuing her with his mind, his will and his emotions. Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. Ps. 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! Waiting on God is the secret of strength. Four L inks in Waiting & Actively Seeking & Pursuing God Adrian Rogers 1. LONGING for the Lord Desire Him Ps. 62:1Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. Ps. 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. Confess to Him: You re the One I long for & desire more than anything. 2. LISTENING for the Lord Prov. 8:34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. We have a daily appointed time at His gates for our quiet time with Him. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice to Him. Confess sins to be the empty vessel for His service. Meet God, seek Him, shut other things out, saturate yourself in Him and study His Word. Meditate on who God is, what He wants to do in you and through you. Seek answers in prayer. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Claim God s promises. This must be practiced and consistent. Stressbuster! 3. LOOKING to the Lord Ps. 104:27 These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. All of creation looks to God for their care. They look to him for their sustenance. Ps. 121:1-2 I will look to the hills from whence comes my help. 4. LIVING for the Lord Prov. 27:18 Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored. Keeps the fig tree prune, fertilize, nurture, spend time on the fig tree THEN you can eat the fruit of it. He that waiteth on his master will be honored. God is our Master. You want fruit from Him? Actively pursuing Him with your mind, will and emotions. Then you can eat heaven s fruit. Waiting on or for God: I am wrapped up in Him. I desire you more than anything. Waiting is linked with Longing for Him. I listen to you more than anyone else. Waiting is linked with Listening to Him. I look to you alone. Waiting is linked with Looking for Him. I live for you alone. Waiting is linked with Living for Him. II Cor. 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 6